Effects of Aromatherapy on Labor Pain and Perception of Childbirth Experience

Hur, Myung Haeng; Oh, Hee Young; Park, Young Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purposes of this study were to verify the effects of aromatherapy on labor pain and perception of the childbirth experience. METHODS: This study was a nonequivalent control group pretest- posttest design. The subjects of this experiment consisted of forty eight primiparas without problems during the gestation period. Twenty four primiparas in the experimental group were given general obstetric nursing care with aromatherapy every two hours. Twenty four primiparas in the control group were given general obstetric nursing care only. Data was collected for labor pain measured by a labor pain expression scale, uterine contraction activity measured by Montevideo units in the latent phase, active phase, and transition phase and the perception of childbirth experience 24hours after birth. Data was analyzed by t-test, and repeated measures of ANOVA with an SPSS program. RESULTS: No significant group effects were found, but significant time effects were found for labor pain, and uterine contraction activity. There was no significant difference in postpartum mothers' perception about childbirth. CONCLUSION: In this study, effects of aromtherapy decreasing labor pain expression, and increasing the perception of childbirth was not found.